Last updated at 14:44, Wednesday, 16 February 2011

Oldham Athletic 0 Carlisle United 1: From opera to amateur boxing in 90 minutes, with a dash of football on top: Oldham Athletic, who are desperately seeking a new stadium, will need to throw up an arena twice as large as Boundary Park if they can promise punters this much fun for £2 a throw.

Craig Curran

Simon Cowell was presumably onto the Latics’ high command at first light today to snaffle the rights. Where else last night, for the cost of less than a pint, could more than 8,500 spectators take in a tenor’s rendition of Nessun Dorma, an hour-and-a-half of competitive League One action and then an eruption of touchline violence which left the audience wondering if Ricky Hatton had been smuggled into the ground in an Oldham tracksuit?

Gerry Taggart, the pugilist masquerading as Paul Dickov’s assistant manager, can expect the mother of all touchline bans and fines for the astonishing acts of aggression which, in a perfect world, wouldn’t have taken a jot of attention away from United’s triumphant display and Craig Curran’s expertly-poached winning goal.

Ronaldo, the newly-retired Brazilian legend, was once compared by the Observer writer Paul Hayward to a cork flying from a bottle on account of his lacerating pace. Taggart’s sprint from technical area to turf in the 83rd minute brought similar images to mind and would have pushed the great South American close for velocity.

Once he had reached his destination – a shoving melee of rival players – Taggart morphed into an angry middleweight throwing a flurry of haymakers, one of which connected with Tom Taiwo’s face. James Berrett and Ben Marshall also appeared to take shrapnel wounds from Taggart’s fusillade before calm eventually descended.

Dickov’s accomplice was first restrained (Gerry and the peacemakers) and then finally sent from the dugout by referee Mark Haywood. Footage of the rumpus, once studied by officialdom, ought to see the 40-year-old Taggart in a steaming vat of hot disciplinary water. As his players grappled with their opposite numbers and tried to dodge Taggart’s flying fists, Greg Abbott watched the skirmish from a distant seat in the stand, as he served out a one-match touchline ban for a considerably less serious felony at Southampton three days earlier.

When Taggart was going about his demented work, in a rain-splashed scrum that was triggered by an angry tangle between Lubo Michalik and the home substitute Warren Feeney, some of the home fans could be heard chanting “Gerry, Gerry.” Pedestrians passing Boundary Park at this point would have assumed The Jerry Springer Show, with its on-stage family brawls and deep moral recriminations, had descended on Oldham’s 115-year-old arena.

United’s players and manager sensibly slotted into diplomatic mode when asked for their version of the contretemps at close of play, but privately there was wide-eyed bewilderment among the Cumbrians’ contingent at the behaviour of one of the men who, at Dickov’s side, has helped the Latics fly into this season’s promotion race. Oldham’s manager was known for his spikiness as a player but Taggart leaves his boss for dead in the malevolence stakes.

Long before this staggering finale, the evening had started in a state of high culture, with local tenor Jon Christos entertaining the 8,564 who had taken advantage of Oldham’s crowd-boosting ticket discount offer, before United set about their attempt to zap a four-match losing run against an imposing opponent who were unbeaten in seven.

Let the record show that the Blues executed their task with appetite and skill, once the home side’s early surges had been absorbed. Oldham were first from the traps, Filipe Morais cutting out a Taiwo pass in the second minute and sweeping forward, but seeing his cross scuffed wide by Reuben Reid.

Graham Kavanagh, front-of-house in the technical area, began his night’s note-taking a few moments later and for a while it seemed Abbott’s assistant (who stayed in telephone contact with his exiled boss throughout) might have been compiling an essay on Oldham’s strengths. Prompted by Morais’ nimble feet and given attacking bulk by Oumara Tounkara, Dickov’s players were speedy and penetrative down the flanks, with the Portuguese Morais warming Adam Collin’s hands with a 12th-minute blast.

Carlisle spent 20 minutes fending off these threats, and then got into a decent stride of their own. Francois Zoko, attended by three defenders, offered a crossing chance for Marshall, leading to a near-post Berrett header which Amos claimed. Marshall then put a 25-yard missile just wide as the Blues pressed on.

Cedric Evina, the Latics’ rapid left-back, forced a sharp save from Collin with a shot from distance, then United swept downfield and earned a corner, which resulted in a Michalik header and a eye-popping reflex save from Amos, the Manchester United loanee. Minutes later, Taiwo fizzed a shot fractionally wide and Rory Loy was one piece of adhesive control away from a debut goal as Carlisle grew in strength and purpose.

Enterprising and dogged, with Michalik in particularly obdurate mood against the meaty Tounkara and young Liam Noble competing like a veteran in midfield, United remained in need of a moment of clarity in enemy territory. Once the half-time draw was carried out by the local boxing star Craig Watson (or was it Taggart?), Abbott’s men were first obliged to return to defensive mode – Collin saving from Tounkara, Michalik expertly thwarting both the big Frenchman and Aidan White – before rising back into the game.

When they did so, it was not with football at its slickest but with a driving determination to force their hosts back. As Feeney replaced the ineffective Reid and Curran rose to take Loy’s place, Carlisle’s persistence prised some scoring opportunities out of the tight, edgy contest. Frank Simek forced Amos to backpedal and tip a cross over his bar, Murphy tested the keeper with a header and then – after Collin had dealt with a Feeney curler – the Blues struck.

First there was a clinical dismantling of an Oldham break. Curran, already a notably energetic presence, held up play and then sent Marshall raiding down the right. The winger’s cross was glanced on by Zoko and there was Curran, undetected at the back post, to devour the chance.

Oldham’s attempt to respond then got lost in the ugliness that broke out by the touchline. Michalik and Feeney lingered irritably in each other’s presence after a challenge by the defender, then matters went up in blue and red smoke as players converged and Taggart made his own startling contribution.

By the time United had dealt with a late Morais shot (saved impressively by the redoubtable Collin) and an off-target Neal Trotman header, Cumbrian minds were banking the final images of Carlisle’s much-needed and valuable victory before returning to the memory of how a football coach felt it necessary to come at Abbott’s sodden heroes with his fists, in a misguided attempt to defend his own troops’ honour.

If the footage also implicates any Blues or Latics players then let the censures flow. At first glance, though, it was hard to finger any Carlisle man for provocation. And nobody in a red away jersey, certainly, was up to Taggart’s perilous tricks.

To think that our entertainment had begun with a touch of classical music and then a teamsheet which included the names Amos and Cedric, who sounded like genteel refugees from Last Of The Summer Wine, not bemused bystanders at the Battle of Boundary Park.

ADAM COLLIN - Made some excellent saves and caught crosses confidently: an excellent night’s work.

FRANK SIMEK - Worked hard in defence against White and Morais, and linked well with Marshall going forward.

MATTY ROBSON - Slotted in at left-back and put in a responsible, grafting display.

PETER MURPHY - Made some important challenges as he defended watchfully to preserve clean sheet.

LUBO MICHALIK - Grew in authority in his duels with Tounkara, denied a goal by Amos' brilliance.

TOM TAIWO - Another high-energy, high-quality contribution from the young midfielder.

JAMES BERRETT - Ex-Huddersfield man used the ball calmly and sensibly throughout.

LIAM NOBLE - Teenager ran and battled relentlessly for the cause.

BEN MARSHALL - Always lively, and escaped defensive attention to set up United's winner.

FRANCOIS ZOKO - Showed plenty of appetite and linked attacks well without threatening to score himself.

RORY LOY - Hard-working effort against tough defenders before he was replaced by Curran.

Subs: Craig Curran (for Loy 69) – Energetic sub was United's matchwinner. Not used: Tony Caig, Danny Livesey, Paddy Madden, Marco Gbarssin, Nahki Wells, McKenna.

Goal: Curran 81.

Booked: Simek, Michalik.

Oldham: Amos, Lee, Evina, Hazell, Todd, Furman, Taylor, White (Alessandra 75), Morais, Reid (Feeney 66), Tounkara. Not used, Abalimba, Jones, Black, Tarkowski.

Booked: Evina.

Ref: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire).

Crowd: 8,564 (630 Carlisle fans).

First published at 11:43, Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk